How to Change the Scrolling Behavior on the MacBook Air

While there are a number of similarities between a Mac and a Windows computer, they are two very different operating systems. In fact, they are so different that the first few times you use your new MacBook Air, it might come as a bit of a shock. One of the biggest reasons for this difference is the lack of a scroll bar on many of the windows, as well as the fact that the multi gesture touchpad behaves a little differently than you might be familiar with. This is because the MacBook uses a default scrolling behavior that Apple refers to as “natural.” However, for Windows users, it is actually the exact opposite of the scrolling behavior that you find on those laptops. So continue reading below to learn how to change this setting on your MacBook Air.

 

Reverse the Scrolling on the MacBook Air

 

I really disliked the way that scrolling worked on the MacBook Air when I first got it but, over time, I got used to it and started to prefer it. But the difference can make it difficult to move between Windows and Mac laptops however, so it might be easier to simply make the adjustment on your MacBook. The steps outlined below will tell you how.

 

Step 1: Click the System Preferences icon in the dock at the bottom of the screen.

click system preferences window
Open the System Preferences menu

 

Step 2: Click the Trackpad icon in the Hardware section of the System Preferences window.

click the trackpad icon
Open the Trackpad menu

 

Step 3: Check that the Scroll & Zoom tab at the top of the screen is selected.

Step 4: Click the box to the left of Scroll direction: natural to clear the check box.

clear the scrolling check box
Change the Scrolling setting

 

You can then close the System Preferences window and start using the new scrolling behavior immediately.

If you find that there are other things about the trackpad behavior that you don’t like, you can return to this screen and make additional adjustments. There are a lot of interesting things that you can do with different gestures on the touchpad, many of which can help to increase your productivity and ease your transition to the Mac operating system.